Service Continuity / Disaster Recovery Specialist

Over the past 2 years my client has been on one of the most visionary digital transformation journeys of any company within Financial Services and they continue to move towards being a “Digital First” organisation.

The function will govern and assure Service Continuity globally, co-ordinate all Disaster Recovery (DR) testing within the UK&I regions and execute / assure testing with IT Infrastructure suppliers.

The alignment of the Service Continuity function within Global Service Delivery will allow the team to become integrated with Major Incident Management and Problem Management to advise on the execution of DR plans under incident conditions and engage in the post incident process to ensure DR plans remain current.

Role Purpose:

- Organize and deliver DR tests through the co-ordination of internal and external teams (initially within UK&I but will extend globally over time).- Support the development, enhancement and execution of recovery planning strategies and planning.- Provide assurance that global testing is conducted to the agreed principles and standards.

Key aspects of the role:

- Deliver a progressive Disaster Recovery Programme, working closely with Application, Business Continuity Management, IT Risk and IT third parties.- Schedule and co-ordinate elements of the ongoing programme of Disaster Recovery Testing.- Deliver and support specific Disaster Recovery testing.- Assure technical and application recovery processes with internal and external suppliers, to ensure they are meeting the Service Continuity requirements and related controls.- Provide consultative services regarding Disaster Recovery best practices to internal stakeholders.- The role will demand a level of weekend, and overnight working to support the execution of the DR testing programme; flexibility to support this schedule will be required.

Skills / Experience Required:

- DR, BCP, PMP or ITIL certifications.- Very strong analytical skills, applicable to complex situations.- Exposure to and understanding of IT technologies.- Business orientation, ability to translate IT issues into potential business consequence.- Strong Communication skills (verbal and written) with the ability to convey complex technical strategies and plans to a wide audience from technician to senior business and technology management.- Strong relationship-building and influencing skills with the ability to be both a leader and a team player operating with tact and diplomacy.- Ability to work within tight deadlines and a dynamic environment.- Experience in a large, technically complex financial environment where they worked with infrastructure and application departments.- Experience in a technology Disaster Recovery role.- Experience working in virtual teams across geographic boundaries.- Project Management experience would be desirable.